What a notice of entry is for
A resident's home is theirs to live in, even though you manage the building. Most leases and most state landlord-tenant laws let you enter for repairs, inspections and showings, but only with notice, at reasonable times, and for a real reason. The notice is the proof that you followed those rules.
It also does a quieter job. A clear notice is the difference between a resident who leaves the dog with a neighbour and one who opens the door to a stranger in their kitchen. Most complaints about entry are not about the visit. They are about the surprise.
What every notice must say
| Item | Write it as | Check against |
|---|---|---|
| Unit and resident | The address and unit, and the names on the lease | The current lease, not last year's |
| Date | A specific day | Your required notice period, counted from delivery |
| Time window | A start and end time, as narrow as the vendor allows | What your state and lease call reasonable hours |
| Reason | The actual job, for example "replace kitchen faucet" | A reason your lease and local law allow |
| Who is entering | Your firm, the vendor's company, or both | The confirmed work order |
| Contact | A named role and a number someone answers | Who is actually on that day |
"Maintenance" is not a reason. Neither is "inspection" on its own. The resident should be able to tell from the notice what will happen in their home.
The notice period, the allowed reasons and the hours you may enter are set by your state, sometimes your city, and your lease. They differ from place to place, and how the notice is delivered (posted, mailed, emailed) can change when the clock starts. We are not listing state rules here because we will not print one we have not sourced. Get the rules for each place you manage, in writing, from your counsel.
This is a working template, not legal advice. Notice periods, fee limits and required wording depend on your lease and on state and local law. Check yours with your own counsel before using it.
The template
Notice of entry: [address], unit [unit]
To: [resident names on the lease]
Date of this notice: [date]
We will need to enter your home on [day and date] between [start time] and [end time].
Reason: [the job, in plain words].
Who will enter: [firm name] and/or [vendor company].
You do not need to be home. If you have a pet, please secure it or let us know so we can plan around it. If this time does not work, contact [role] at [contact] by [date] and we will try to find another.
[Firm name]
Two lines in there are optional and worth keeping. "You do not need to be home" heads off the most common reply. The pet line saves a vendor from a locked-out visit or worse.
The checks before it goes
From work order to delivered notice
The step people skip is the last one. A changed date usually needs a new notice.
Nearly every entry problem traces back to the first step. A notice sent before the vendor confirmed is a notice that will be wrong, and a second notice with a new date restarts the clock in most places. Wait for the confirmation.
Keep a copy of every notice and a record of how and when it was delivered. If a resident says they never got it, the log is the only answer you have.
When entry is different
Emergencies
Most laws and leases allow entry without the usual notice in a real emergency, such as a leak coming through a ceiling or a gas smell. What counts, and what you must tell the resident afterwards, varies. Leave a note that you entered, when and why, and follow your counsel's guidance. Do not use the emergency route for a routine job that has become urgent for you.
Showings
Showings to new residents or buyers are often allowed, but some places set different rules for them. Bunch showings into windows rather than sending a notice for each viewing, if your rules allow it.
When the resident says no
Do not argue in writing, and do not enter anyway on a routine job. Offer another time, note the refusal, and talk to your counsel if it keeps happening.
Hi [first name], thanks for letting us know [date] does not work. Could you give us two times in the next [days] that suit you? The [job] still needs to be done, and we would rather do it when it works for you.
The mistakes that cause complaints
| Mistake | What the resident experiences | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| An all-day window | A day off work to wait in | Ask the vendor for a narrower window before you send |
| The vendor arrives outside the window | A stranger at the door they were not told about | Send the window to the vendor too, and a new notice if it moves |
| A vague reason | Worry about what is being checked | Name the job |
| No note left after entry | Signs someone was in, and no explanation | Leave a short note of what was done |
Draft the week's notices with AI
Notices are a good AI job because the facts all come from the work order and the rules never change between them. Put your notice rules (period, hours, delivery method, the template) in a ChatGPT or Claude Project. Each week, attach the confirmed work orders and send:
Using the notice rules and template in this Project, draft a notice of entry for each confirmed work order attached. Use only the dates, times, units and reasons in the file. Count the notice period from the delivery date in the rules. If an order has no confirmed date, or the notice period cannot be met, skip it and list it at the end as TO CONFIRM.Check every date before delivery. If you have not set up a Project before, start with how to choose and set up your AI tool.
Before a notice goes out
- The vendor has confirmed the date and window in writing.
- The notice period is met, counted from how and when it will be delivered.
- The reason names the actual job.
- The names and unit match the current lease.
- A copy and the delivery record are filed.
Questions
How much notice do I have to give before entering?
It depends on your state, sometimes your city, and your lease. Get the rule for each place you manage from your counsel, and count it from how and when the notice is delivered.
Can I enter without notice in an emergency?
Most laws and leases allow it in a real emergency. What counts as one, and what you must tell the resident afterwards, varies, so follow your counsel's guidance and leave a note.
What if the resident refuses entry?
For a routine job, offer another time, record the refusal and do not enter. If it keeps happening, talk to your counsel.
Can I send a notice of entry by email or text?
Only if your lease and local law allow that delivery method. Keep a record of when it was sent.